Tunnels and waves

So I want to talk a little about what depression is like. I want you to imagine train tracks. Now imagine a tunnel. Depression is like being in a tunnel. The outside world doesn't matter anymore. You don't see the end and you can't imagine what it would be like to NOT be depressed anymore. Well, there is an end to the tunnel. You see blue skies. You feel good. You just want to soak it in. But guess what, there is another tunnel ahead. You will repeat this process time and time again. Some people have journeys that have no tunnels or just the occasional tunnel. For me, it is one after another. I'm not depressed about anything in particular and I couldn't tell you what got me there. But I can tell you it is hard. For those like me, you are not alone!

There may be many tunnels in our path, but God spoke to me today. No, I'm not hearing voices, but God still spoke to me. He spoke directly to my heart. Do you know what he said? "I will teach you to pray to me so I can deliver you from this affliction." There is a verse in the Bible that says "Ask and you shall receive." It breaks Gods heart that we are in pain or are struggling to enjoy life. He doesn't want that for us. But he does want us to realize that we can't do this alone. We need him and he wants us to want him. He loves us so much that even though we sin and should die for the things we have done, he sent his ONLY son to die for us so that we can be set free from Satan's grasp.

If you haven't already heard the song Oceans by Hillsong United, the words say

I will call upon your name
and keep my eyes above the waves
when oceans rise
my soul will rest in your embrace
For I am yours and you are mine

I believe this wholeheartedly. We can't keep our eyes above the waves without calling out to him. I am so very bad about saying prayers. I usually don't because I don't know what to say. But I am challenging you to pray about it. Ask God to relieve you of this affliction and to heal your mind, body and soul. He truly loves you.

1 John 4:8 says "But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God IS love." Think about this. A lot of the time, I would get depressed because I didn't feel loved. I didn't love myself and if you don't love yourself, you can't truly love others. Mark 12:31, Jesus says "The second is equally important: "Love your neighbor as yourself." No other commandment is greater than these." If you don't love yourself, you think your ugly, too overweight, not good enough....whatever it is, you are saying that what God himself created is not pretty, too overweight, not good enough. Have you ever heard or read in the Bible somewhere that God made something that wasn't perfect? No! Therefore, remember who you are and who made you. You are a son/daughter of God and saved by Jesus Christ!

This little bit of information is just as important for me to remember as it is you. I write for you but also so I will remember these words when I get down.

Lord I pray for anyone with depression who reads this. I pray that they be given grace and that you release them from this affliction of depression. Lord remind them of who they are and be with them as they go through this. I pray Lord that you make them drunk in the Spirit so they can feel the happiness you bring and what it feels like to KNOW, without a doubt, they are loved so much by you.I pray that all the bad feelings and feelings of self destruction pass and that you remind them to pray as you have instructed me to do. Be with all of us Lord and grant us blessings.

In Jesus name,
Amen!